Random-with-a-Mission

One of my daughters told me recently that if there was a contest for "BEING RANDOM" I would win!

I thanked her!

'Cuz it was a compliment, yes?

Here is the background to her telling me I was so random...

She was with me in the car, running errands.  I needed to call home for some reason.  My 9 year old daughter answered the phone.  I asked her what she was doing.  Then I said... what kind of shoes do you have on?

The kind of shoes that my daughter had on had nothing to do with why I was calling.

It is just that this particular daughter has questionable phone manners... she answers questions with the most clipped voice.  Leaves you with the feeling that you were interrupting something really important.  Ugh!  And she mumbles when she talks.  Oh, and she lowers her voice to practically a whisper.

I was giving her a safe opportunity to talk on the phone.

And asking... "what kind of shoes do you have on?" was the first question I thought of.

We had a lovely conversation and I was able to ask her all sorts of questions about her shoes.  I was able to gently suggest that she talk a little slower so I could understand her.

At one point, I whispered back.

She couldn't hear me and she asked me to speak up.

And then she giggled.  She realized I was just copying her.

And she started talking a little louder, a little clearer.

I'm random-with-a-mission!

Tonight after my 5-year old got out of the bathtub... I spent a little time telling him how much I love him.  I thanked him for not splashing all over my bathroom during his bath.  I told him how glad I am to be his mother.

I could sense he was growing tired of my compliments.  After all... they were predictable.  He's heard them a million-zillion times.  (And he'll hear them a million-cazillion MORE times.)

Anyway... I said...

And I love it when you help me by putting all the placemats away after dinner, without me asking!!  Oh how I love that!

He's head snapped around to look at me.

What the heck?  He didn't say it, but he was thinking it.

So, I gave him one last squeeze and sent him off to play.

And guess what he did...

he put away all the placemats.  Without me asking!!

Random-with-a-mission!!!